Monday, 17 January 2011

Things To Make & Do - Christmas Crafting

This a quick round up of all the gifts I made for my friend's kiddies this Christmastime, I had planned to do this post whilst on my Christmas break but with being poorly I couldn't find the energy.

To be honest the only thing I really achieved was, to watch too many period crime dramas (Poirot, Marple, Sherlock Holmes), knit a few more inches on my Christmas jumper sleeves and eat my body weight in chocolate - couldn't taste it, didn't matter, I was sick, not dead!

So without further ado here are the products of many stressful sewing/knitting days in run up to Christmas.

First up are two more Teddy's, for the baby's Lilly and Millie, made from my well or overused pattern.I guess now that all the little ones have now had one these may be the last I make from this pattern for a whileFor any of you who have downloaded the teddy bear pattern from this post last year, I have just noticed I missed off the arm paw pad! Oops, I will rectify this asap!! Sorry!

This year I started early by buying a copy of Sandra Polley's knitted toys this book is brilliant! It is packed full of well designed original toys,

I especially love the Reindeer pattern, (see left) which also can be turned into a dog, perhaps for next year!

The first thing knitted was for a works Secret Santa, the recipient in question, Adrian, spends most of his days, walking around the warehouse mimicking the Meerkat off of thecomparetheMeerkat.comadverts. Now if you don't know what they are click the link. It is hard to believe what a phenomenon has been caused just by saying "compare the market" in a faux Russian accent!. I guess that ad man got his Christmas bonus this year! As Adrian is also and avid Tottenham Hotspur Supporter, I gave him the scarf to macho it up a bit!

So for the three little girls Keira,Willow and Emily, aged 1, 2 and 4 respectively. This year I made them each a knitted dolly, these were a lot of fun to make - I especially loved the fact that they each had a pair of knickers, such proper ladies!!

I did have to deviate from the original pattern somewhat. Firstly I just could not seem to get the correct number of stitches at any point during knitting (me or the pattern I'd put my money on it being me!). Secondly, I ran out of time, I seriously underestimated just how long it takes me to knit up a fully clothed dolly! So their dresses are sleeveless and collarless, though I am sure the little girls won't mind!